Purpose: discuss this Microsoft Windows development environment's pros and cons

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    * What is Cygwin?

Cygwin is a free software package that provides a Unix-like
environment on a Windows system.  It works with Windows 95, 98,
NT, 2000, and possibly others.  (See the web site.)

Cygwin consists of an emulation library and a collection of Unix
(and GNU) programs ported to that library, including bash, gcc,
and Tcl/Tk.  The Unix tools can be used from the bash shell or
from the usual Windows command shell, a.k.a. DOS prompt.

A version of the XFree86 server for X Windows, with X Windows
tools, has been ported to Cygwin.  It is distributed separately.

Cygwin is free.

    * Where can I learn more?

      http://www.cygwin.com

    * Does it include Tcl and Tk?

Yes, but the version included is ported to the Cygwin environment
and differs from the official Tcl/Tk code available from
<URL: http://www.tcl.tk>. The Cygwin version presumably lags the
official releases.

On the other hand, you have the opportunety to extend wish or
tclsh with your own functionality by linking the cygwin tcl and
tk libraries with your C-functions, possibly by using swig.
<URL: http://www.swig.org>.

    * Why are there such problems using [TEA] under Cygwin?

''Can anyone answer this?''

    * What compiler should I use with cygwin?

To build Cygwin executables, use the gcc included in the cygwin
package.  This applies as well when building the cygwin version
of Tcl/Tk.

To build normal Windows executables, use the Cygwin gcc with
Mingw <URL: http://www.mingw.org>, a version of which is included
with cygwin.  This configuration can be used to compile the
standard Tcl/Tk distribution into a standard Windows executable.
See win/README in the Tcl/Tk distribution for details.

    * Are there any special add-on packages that would be useful when developing with Cygwin?

''Can anyone answer this?''



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[[Is [Joe English] the resident expert?]]